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There is no such thing as an ordinary face - and if you think there is, you aren't looking close enough.

Friday, 12 August 2011

Wigtown Book Festival - Artist in Residence

With over 150 events across 10 days, Wigtown Book Festival is one of the largest art events in Scotland, even though it is located in a remote town near the Southern tip of Scotland.

Over the past couple of years, they have teamed up with the organisers of the open studio event, Spring Fling, to install an Artist-in-Residence for the duration of the Festival.

And this year they have chosen me!

So
from September 23rd to October 2nd, I will be taking photos of
residents, visitors and attending authors – in fact anyone who will
allow me to point my camera at them.

I’ve been given a space in "The Hut" behind ReadingLasses
café and bookshop, where I will be printing out the photos and pinning
them to the walls. As the festival progresses, so the room should fill
up with faces.

Unlike my participation in Spring Fling back in May,
I won’t be confining myself to a studio space to take the photos, but
will also be out and about on the street and venues, photographing
whoever I can, and hopefully engaging in conversation with people about
what I’m up to, and what books they are reading. Indeed, my hope is to
be able to scribble on the photo of most faces going up on the wall,
"Currently reading…" or "Favourite genre..." My guess is there will be
very few people who will conform to stereotype.

It’s
going to take a fair amount of planning to ensure I can fit in taking
photos, editing, printing and pinning them to the wall, as well as
attending events, having The Hut open for a couple of hours each day, and finding time for an afternoon nap...

It’s
also going to be something of a psychological trial, as I will have to
overcome a natural reluctance to go up to complete strangers and ask if
they mind having their photo taken.

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Introduction

This blog has been created specifically for documenting my experience as Artist in Residence at the 2011 Wigtown Book Festival.

Please feel free to "Follow", leave comments, ask questions, and spread the word. And if you are in Wigtown between Sept 23rd and Oct 2nd, then please seek me out and get your photo taken.

"The Hut" (Venue 7 in the brochure) is open 10.30am to 12.30pm most days and at various random hours - check board outside to see if I'm in.

Alternatively, if you are in Wigtown and would like your photo taken to be added to the wall of The Hut, if you see me in the street or a cafe, please come up and say hello - I'm really quite approachable.